Columbus, Ohio (WJER) - State Representative Brett Hillyer says school districts in Tuscarawas County would likely benefit from a proposed overhaul of the state’s school funding system. 

The bipartisan proposal calls for Ohio to spend about $400 million more on school funding next fiscal year and $320 million more the following year. Hillyer’s election campaign emphasized school funding reform, and he says he is pleased to see progress on the issue.

“It’s very in-depth, and I’m just very happy to see Representative Cupp and Representative Patterson, a Democrat and a Republican get together to tackle something as serious as school funding, which has been ruled unconstitutional and very little has been done to remedy that,” he says.

Hillyer says most school districts in the county would get more money under the proposal.

“Some of the concerns that our local schools have been facing are finally being remedied, i.e. the influx of new students and the growth of these schools while elsewhere in the state some of our schools have shrunk or remained stagnant,” he says. “[I’m] happy to see something proposed that is a little more reasonable and look forward to seeing it shake out over the next couple weeks.”

Hillyer says he supports the proposal but added that it could change after discussions in committees and with the governor.

WJER RADIO